This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Early intervention by rheumatologist may reduce work disability due to musculoskeletal diseases

Add topic to email alerts

Receive an email when new articles are posted on

Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on .

Subscribe

Added to email alerts

You've successfully added to your alerts. You will receive an email when new content is published.

Click Here to Manage Email Alerts

You've successfully added to your alerts. You will receive an email when new content is published.

Click Here to Manage Email Alerts

Back to Healio

We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com.

Back to Healio

According to data presented at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual European Congress of Rheumatology, temporary work disability may be reduced with early intervention for musculoskeletal diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and low back pain.

Researchers studied 924 patients in Spain who attended a rheumatology clinic for tendinitis (23.5%), back pain (20.27%), sciatica (20.68%) and cervical pain (8%), which were the most frequent causes of temporary disability (TD) resulting in days off from work among the study participants. The study was led by the AbbVie Foundation, using the “Fit for Work” European coalition for nationwide implementation, according to the researchers.

Patients were assigned to either usual care, through primary care, or to an intervention group in which patients initiating musculoskeletal disease TD were immediately referred to a rheumatologist.

In the group of patients who received usual care, the average TD was 92 days compared with 46.8 days in the intervention group, indicating a relative effectiveness (RE) of 49%.

The average number of days off from work was 30.68 days in the intervention group vs. 53 days in the usual care group (RE = 42%) due to low back pain, 19.55 days vs. 75.4 days due to joint disorders (RE = 74%), 46.15 days vs. 62.2 days due to neck pain (RE = 25.8%), 51.2 days vs. 85.4 days due to tendinitis (RE = 39.4%), 58.25 days vs. 136.59 days due to sciatica (RE = 57.3%) and 66.72 days vs. 141.6 days due to osteoarthritis (RE = 52.8%). The researchers found the average delay to the first rheumatologist visit was 7 days.

“Early intervention in musculoskeletal pathology reduces days off work significantly,” the researchers wrote. “Success depends on the rapid referral of the patient, centralizing medical and administrative responsibilities in the rheumatologist.” – by Shirley Pulawski

Reference:

Vela P, et al. Paper #AB1153. Presented at: European League Against Rheumatism Annual European Congress of Rheumatology; June 10-13, 2015; Rome.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.